Carton for baked goods and other easily broken products



July 14, 1953 R. c. 'STENGER v 2,645,337

CARTON FOR BAKED GOODS AND OTHER EASILN BROKEN PRODUCTS Filed July 7,1949 INVENTOR.

WiWi/ffy vPatented July 14, 1953 f CARTON Fon BAKED GOODS AND OTHEREASILY BROKEN PRODUCTS v Richard C. Stengel', Kalamazoo, Mich., assgnorto` S Mich.

utherland Paper Company, Kalamazoo,

Application July 7, 1949, Serlal'No. 109,359

VThis invention relates to improvements in cartons for baked goods andother easily broken products.

" The main Objects ofthis invention are:

First, to provide a covered carton which is suitable for the packagingof pies and like products which are easily broken and one in which thepackaged article is effectively supported and protected and not likelyto be injured in closing the carton.

Second, to provide a carton of this character which may be economically`produced and which facilitates the rapid packaging of the product. l

Objects relating to `details and economies of the invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is deilned and pointed outin the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a carton embodying my inventionwith the cover partially open. Y

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View partially in transverse sectionwith a pie arranged Within the carton and the cover partially closed.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary 'horizontal section in a plane above the piewith' the cover partially closed.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section on a line corresponding to line4-4 o1' Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical central section with the covercompletely closed.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in vthe accompanyingdrawing, I represents the bottom, 2 the front wall, 3 the rear wall, 4-4the side Walls. integral blank, as is also the cover 5 which is hingedlyconnected to the upper edge of the rear wall. 'I'he cover is providedwith a window `opening 6 covered by a transparent panel 'l which may beof glassine, cellophane, Pliolm or like transparent material.

The front and rear walls are provided with integral corner ilaps 8 atvtheir ends which interlock with slits 9 in the side walls for supportingthe box in erected position. The details of this interlock form no partof my present invention.

I'he side walls are provided with cover support flaps I 0 on their upperedges which also serve as joint closure4 members. these flaps I0 arespaced from the front wall to These walls are formed of an` 'I'he frontends II of Y 4 claims. (Cl. 20s- 46) responding to the height of thefront wall and of a length corresponding to the length of the frontwallso that it closes on the inside of the front walland in the spacebetween the edges II and aps I0 of the front wall, with the ends of thetucking nap insu'pporting engagement with the iii the cover. Thistucking ap I2 is of a width corend walls.

The engagement of the edge of the tucking ilap with the bottom serves tosupport the cover. The engagement of the end edges of the cover flapwith the side Walls supports the walls against I sidewise racking orcollapsing movement. The engagement of the front edges of the side wallnaps with the tucking flap serve to support or brace the carton againstracking or collapsing from the front to the rear. This arrangement ofparts permits the use of quite light material and at the same time thecarton is quite strong.

The carton is especially designed for packaging pies and like delicateobjects such as is illus- Y trated at I4 in Figs. 2 and 3, butespecially desirable for packaging of individual pies which may betransported considerable Adistances and the cartons containing the sameare commonly rapidly handled for shipment or delivery, and arranging fordisplay, and by the customer. The

crust of such pies is desirably quite delicate and easily broken whichdetracts fromthe attractiveness and salability. 1

The carton is of a dimension approximating the diameter of the pieV orother packaged article in order to prevent the shifting of the piewithin the carton and likelihood of resulting injury. The cover nap I2isprovided with a centrally `positioned notch-like recess I5 in its edge,the recess being desirably upwardly curved. Pies and like comestiblesare cooked or placed in paper trays I6 as shown in Fig. 2. As stated,the cover flap is guided vertically by the front wall and the frontedges of the flaps I0. To prevent its engagement with the top of ythepie as it is closed and movement of the tray, which would tilt ordisplace a pie and might break or fracture ysome part thereof, therecess I5v is positioned to` provide clearance during the first part ofthe closing movement `of the cover flap, and its edges I1 arebroughtintocamming engagement with the dish or tray I6 with the result that thepie is pushed rearwardly in the carton allowing the cover flap to moveto completely closed position as shown in Fig.. 5. During this closingmovement the front edges of the side flaps IU guide the cover ilap sothat it cannot swing inwardly into engagement with the Vtop of the pieand, as stated, the edges oi' the d. recess l cammingly engage the pieor container Vand push it rearwardly allowing complete closing of thecover with the bottom edge in supported engagement with the bottom ofthe container and its end walls in supporting engagement with the endwalls of the carton which provides quite a rigid Vstructure even whenformed of light stock that can be readily manipulated'in setting up thecontainer and closing. I have illustrated and described my inventionin'an embodiment particularly designed by me for pies but it is usefulin packaging other delicate or easily broken products, forexarnple'cakes.V Y

I have not attempted to illustrate minor changes Y which might bedesired for particular. adapta-J w-ith-atucking flap-at its lfront edgefor closing on the inner side ofthe front wall, said ap havingadownwardly opening recess' in its lower edge of the article to shift thearticle" rearwardly away from the-front' walli to allowY the flapportion above'the recesstofengage betweenthe peripheraledgerof:the-article vand'the front wall ofthe carton upon final 'closing of thecover.

i 2; In combination a carton and an articleenclosed by said cartongsaidarticle'having a generally circular peripheralY edge disposed generallyin a horizontal plane, Vsaid carton comprising a bottom,vv front,- rearandside walls, 'a cover provided with a'transparent' window hingedlyVcon- Y nected to therear wall and provided with'a tuckingiiapv at itsfront end of al width corresponding to thewidth 'of the front vwallfandlof a length corresponding tothe length of the front wall and adaptedtoclose on'the inner side thereof between the side vwalls,`the lower edgeof'the tucking iiap being supportingly engaged by said bottom when thecover is closed, the side walls Y having'inturned co/ver supporting a'pson their upper edges, the front ends ofwhich arespaced from the frontwall to receive the tucking flap between said front ends and'iront wall,the tucking iiap having a central upwardly curved recess in its loweredge and in'vertically'spaced relationv from the cover, the peripheraledge of' said enclosed articlebeing disposed above said recess 'when thecover is closed, the opposite side edges of said recess constitutingcammingedges for cammingly engaging spaced portions of the peripheraledge of said article'within the carton, in the event that it ispositioned Within the carton tooclose to the front wall to permit thepassage of the cover flap between the front wall and the article, toshift the article to permit the complete closing of the cover iiap withits lower edge'in supporting engagement with the bottom.

3. In combinationra carton and an article enclosed in said carton,saidfarticlel having a generally circular-peripheral.edge disposedgenerally in a horizontal plane,V said carton comprising a bottom,front, rear and side walls, a cover provided Awitha transparent windowhingedly con- Y nected .to the rear'wall and provided with a tuckingflap at its front end of a width corresponding substantially tothe widthof vthe front wall and adapted'to close on the inner side thereofbetween the side walls, the lower edge of the Y tucling flap beingdisposed closely adjacent said I bottom` when the cover is closed, theside walls having inturned cover supporting apson their upper edges, thefront ends of which are spaced from'rthe front wallto receive thetucking flap between said front -ends and front wall, the tucking iiaphaving a curved recess in its free edge and in; vertically spacedrelationfromthe cover, said recess being disposed below the peripheraledge of the enclosed article l'when the cover is closed and providingclearance for theperipheral Y edgejof the article duringfthe initialclosing-,of

the cover, andthe side edgesV of the recess constituting camming edgeshaving camming'engagem'ent 'with saidperipheral edge to shift thearticle away from the front wall allowing complete closing of thetucking iiap with itslower edge closely adjacent the bottom and with theportion oi the tucking flap above the recess'disposed between the-frontwall and the peripheral edge of the article..

4. In combination a carton and an article enclosed by said carton; saidarticle having a generally circular peripheral edge disposed generallyin a horizontal plane, said carton comprisingv a bottom,front, rear andside walls, a cover provided with a transparent window `hingedlyconnected tothe rear wall and provided with a tucking 4flap at'its frontend oi a widthv corresponding tothe width of the front wallV and adaptedto close on the inner side'of Vthefront wall'b'etwee'n the 'sidewallswith its edge' in supported'engagement with the bottom, the swing'- ngedge of the tucking iiap having inclined cam elements `dispsed belowsaid' circular peripheral Vedge whenthe cover is i'riy closed positionand acting t'o engage 'said circularV peripheraIV edge and shift thearticle away vfrom the front wall as the vtuc'kin'g flap' is movedtoclosed position,V

the tuckiiig ap 'when in supportingA engagement with the bottom' beingdisposed between the -front wall of the, cartonand the peripheral edgeof thearticle. o, A' i Y 1 o arcHARD c. sTENcEa. References einem the'sie cf this patent UNITED sTATEsPATENTs Fink Sept. 2, 1947

